Cubs catcher Miguel Montero (back) going to DL

Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Montero is headed to the disabled list with lower back tightness, the team announced on Thursday.

In a weird twist, there was a chance that he would remain active for Thursday’s game as a backup if Tim Federowicz cannot make it from Triple-A Iowa in time.

Veteran David Ross, in his last season, has been sharing time with Montero and will get most of the starts while Montero is out. Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Ross will start the next few games with Federowicz likely starting Saturday against Atlanta.

Montero’s DL stint is retroactive to April 25, meaning he can return as soon as May 10. Maddon said he expects him to miss two weeks.

Montero, who is hitting .208 with one homer and six RBIs in 13 games this season, was a late scratch Tuesday.

The Cubs also have highly touted catching prospect Willson Contreras at Iowa, but Maddon said he would only be called up if there was a need for a long-term replacement. The team would like to see him get more seasoning and regular